Chelopech Mine, Bulgaria
Title: Minesite exploration
Geology: Panagyurishte metallogenic district
Client: Dundee Precious Metals
Technology: TITAN 24
Location: Bulgaria
Sector: Mining
Challenges
Dundee Precious Metals was at an early stage of exploration in an old mining camp. The Chelopech Mine had been mined for years. The potential deep emplacement of additional resources in complex near mine geology made exploration difficult and expensive. Geophysical surveying had not been attempted due to the extreme cultural noise in the area that included old infrastructure , railway lines, powerlines and roads.
Solutions
TITAN 24 is a distributed geophysical system providing deep DC resistivity and IP to depths of 750 metres, as well as deep imaging MT resistivity to depths of 2000 metres. It is uniquely designed to sample at extreme speeds and provide enhanced detail which is well suited for working in culturally noisy areas where subtle signals might otherwise be lost in the noise. At Chelopech, the placement and execution of the survey was coordinated with mine operations. Acquisition took one month, with minimal impact on operations.
Highlights
The TITAN 24 system successfully collected meaningful data in the region directly over and around the mine, and TITAN accurately mapped known sulphide horizons. The imaging proved invaluable to the local exploration team, who effectively adjusted their drilling plans mid-season to focus and effectively target mineralised zones in the most prospective areas. The client has reported that the large volume of data recorded at the mine is still a useful data set today, some 10 years on. The deep MT provided useful deep images that both corroborated some aspects of local thinking in the camp and refuted others, providing the team with a better geological understanding, leading them to explore new initiatives.
